Ep 22 - Mori-senpai Has an Apprentice Candidate!
Mori-sempai has an Apprentice Candidate! is the 22nd episode of the anime series. When the son of a yakuza boss, Ritsu Kasanoda, seeks out Takashi's advice on how to change his scary image and gain friends, Tamaki and the Host Club are ready to assist. Ritsu endures their outrageous attempts to make him "cute" and their endless twisting of his surname (Kasanoda frequently morphed into Bossa Nova or Casanova). The ginger finds himself drawn to Haruhi without understanding why, believing that she is a "he" despite looking like a "chick." Tetsuya Sendo, a servant in the Kasanoda household, goes to Ouran to deliver an umbrella and, instead, finds two former Sendo clanmates threatening Ritsu who, they believe, kidnapped Tetsuya. He rectifies their wayward assumptions and tells them to get lost; he's a part of Ritsu's clan now, especially after the young lord helped him when he was down and out. All seems well and done when Ritsu heads back to Music Room #3 to apologize to Haruhi who got red paint splashed onto her during the two thugs' final attack; their dynamic altering dramatically once Ritsu learns that Haruhi is, indeed, a girl. Chapter Summary The episode begins at the Kasanoda Syndicate's main house and family residence. Ritsu, a student of Class 1-D at Ouran, walks past a group of tough-looking men who bid him have a good day at work several times before he turns, with a terrifying visage, to roar that he's going to school. Tetsuya, a younger clan member, asks if he'll be taking the car, but Ritsu declines. As he walks away, the crew advises Tetsuya to be more careful in how he addresses the "young lord" because his glare seemed more viscious than usual, an indication in their minds that he's ticked off at some stupid kid at school; and, in fact, Ritsu is preoccupied with another student: Takashi Morinozuka. In the salon, the hosts are cosplaying in late Edo era samurai costumes. Haruhi expresses her surprise that it's so popular, with the twins informing her that it's a cosplay basic and Mitsukuni adding that the girls who love it are simply crazy about it. Renge unravels a mini-history lesson about the Ikedaya Inn and the noble shinsegumi, thrilling herself with her narrative. Kyouya compliments Renge on her suggestion that the guests be allowed to project identities onto the hosts instead of giving them specific roles; their friendly exchange indicative of a normalized relationship. Takashi sits by himself, with his clients discussing who he favors when the Host suddenly leaps up and lunges his sword through the shoji door. Tamaki thinks he's angry because he's finally lost patience with his lacklustre script, but Takashi declares no, that they have an intruder. Ritsu is seen rushing towards Takashi with an angry face, only to fall to the ground in humility, begging for Takashi to take him on as an apprentice. Kyouya rattles off pertinent information regarding the 1st year, calling him a human weapon which Ritsu denies. Tamaki asks why he wants to be Takashi's apprentice and the twins begin to call him Casanova and Bossa Nova instead of Kasanoda, causing the young lord to grimace menacingly. When they point out his scary-face, he grows despondent saying it's been this way since he was a child. Flashbacks show Ritsu as a toddler and then as a young boy, each with a fearful face, learning how to be a gangster from his father; except now he wants friends and doesn't know how to breach the social gap between himself and others. He hopes that Takashi who, in his words, has a face like a "watchdog from Hell" but who has many friends and admirers will be able to teach him his "secret." In atypical fashion, Tamaki refuses to involve himself in Takashi's issue until the tall Host's eyes plead for it; then Tamaki gleefully leaps into action. The first thing Tamaki tells Ritsu he must obtain is a "lovely item" like Mitsukuni, who softens Takashi's harsh image simply by being near him. The others agree that without Mitsukuni, Takashi is just a big "bzzzt!" an idea that shocks Takashi who then vehemently denies this to be the case when Mitsukuni sadly asks if he's being used as a prop. Tamaki sets the twins to work on Ritsu's "Yankee fashion sense," which they alter to make him appear totally ridiculous, without intention (?) At home, everyone pretends not to notice his red dreadlocks, polka dot scarf and Kuma-bear lovely item. The following day, Ritsu approaches Takashi and Mitsukuni, offering to carry Takashi's schoolbag. As he moves towards them, Takashi pushes him back just in time to avoid being hit by a falling potted plant and then another. In the salon, Ritsu states that he believes someone is after Takashi. Tamaki considers that for a few seconds, then moves on to his "Turn Bossa Nova Into an Angel" Project. While the hosts discuss make-over plans, Haruhi serves Ritsu a cup of tea and sits with him. Ritsu finds her strangely compelling and very much like a "chick." Tamaki is heard saying that Renge's inside scoop on "lovely items" is kitty ears and the twins suggest they go all the way. Tetsuya arrives and sees his young lord dressed as a "kitty cat maid," but tells him he can do as he likes in his spare time; Ritsu, utterly embarrassed, runs away. Cut to Ritsu hiding in the garden maze, feeding an injured bird he's nursed back to health. Haruhi finds him and they converse easily, something Ritsu finds he can never do with a girl, except Haruhi is a "guy" which totally confuses him. Just then, a can of red paint comes flying at the pair, but is intercepted by Mitsukuni so only a bit of paint splashes Haruhi's blazer. The Hosts join them just in time to see Takashi apprehending two punks (the same ones from Renge's movie shoot), who accuse Ritsu of kidnapping Boss Sendo's son. While the twins enjoy tying up the ruffians, Mitsukuni and Takashi admit that they knew it was Ritsu being targeted, but kept quiet about it until they could capture the culprits. Ritsu inquires why they would help him and Takashi pats his head saying, "We can tell who the bad guys are by looking at them," a statement which Ritsu finds touching, especially from someone he so admires. Tetsuya Sendo arrives and berates the teenaged goons, revealing to Ritsu that he is the son of the head of the Sendo Syndicate but left home because of their cut-throat tactics. Flashback to Tesuya on the street, lonely and sitting in the rain when Ritsu extends both an umbrella and a hand in friendship, earning Tesuya's loyalty and devotion. Ritsu asks Tetsuya to wait for him as he heads back to Music Room #3 to apologize to Haruhi for ruining her blazer. Upon finding the salon empty, he enters the prep room without warning and there's Haruhi, in the midst of changing. Realizing that he is a she, Ritsu reacts in the only way possible for a mobster's son to react under such pressure: sheer and absolute terror. Gallery ritsuofftowork.jpg|"Have a good day at work, Young Lord." Scaryritsu.jpg|"I'm not goin' to work; I'm goin' to school, you idiots." walkingtoouran.jpg|Heading to Ouran with things on his mind. cosplaysamurai.jpg|Samurai cosplay. Shinsengumitama.jpg|Samurai Suou. Girls fangirling over tamaki.png|His fans swoon. haruhi and the twins.png|"I never would have thought that late Edo cosplay would be this popular." renge the otaku.png|Renge with her fantasies. samuraibrotherlylove.jpg|Brotherly love - samurai style. renge maniac.png|Otaku and Historian. i could eat 3 bowls of rice!.png|"I could eat three bowls of rice!" haruhi cosplay.png|Haruhi's fangirls fantasize as Haruhi thinks about dinner. renge and kyouya agreeing.png|Renge and Kyouya concur. fangirlingmori.jpg|Takashi's fangirls in action. Ever watchful..jpg|Morinouzuka instincts kick in. intruderalert.jpg|Takashi always on guard... intruderaleryt.jpg|...protecting the Club. ritsuattack.jpg|Kasanoda enters the scene. Ritsukasanoda.jpg|Ritsu Kasanoda, Class 1-D. apprentice.jpg|Mori-senpai has an apprentice? sadritsu.jpg|Kasanoda bemoans his scary face. walkingblizzzard.jpg|The Walking Blizzard. babygansta.jpg|Baby gangsta. Lilritsu.jpg|Learning to be a tough guy. Mah!.jpg|Mah!!! ritsusdad.jpg|Even the Godfather is scared. kasanodaplan.jpg|Tamaki's latest scheme: sweeten Kasanoda's image. nolovelyitem.jpg|Takashi without a lovely item. lovelyitem.jpg|Takashi with a lovely item, named Mitsukuni. morineedshelp.jpg|"Now that you mention it, Mori-senpai really doesn't do much of anything." isittrue.jpg|"Are you renting me?!" kasanodaredone.jpg|An Hitachiin makeover. beastofburden.jpg|Kasanoda as Takashi's apprentice. savedbymori.jpg|Takashi intervenes... savingritsu.jpg|...and saves Kasanoda from... Morisavesritsu.jpg|...death by potted plant? angrymori.jpg|Searching for the culprit. Kittyritsu.jpg|Kasanoda as a kitty-eared maid. Catmonster.jpg|What Mitsukuni thinks of Renge's "kitty" idea. Tetsuya door.png|Tesuya comes looking for Kasanoda. upsetritsu.jpg|"You think I dress up like this all the time?!" Chick.jpg|The next day, Kasanoda grows confused about... hessocute.jpg|...his attraction to Haruhi. itsokay.jpg|A special moment shared. tetsuyaarrives.jpg|Tetsuya arrives at Ouran... sonny.jpg|...and tells the Hosts how he came to serve Kasanoda. ritsuumbrella.jpg|Ritsu caught off-guard by Tesuya's concern. Tetsuyarain.jpg|A down and out Tetsuya. Ritsurain.jpg|A concerned and kind Kasanoda. Ritsutesuya.jpg|A bond is forged. thebadguys.jpg|Catching the bad guys. theirjustdesserrts.jpg|Getting their just desserts. because of you.jpg|"I left because of things like this." wecantell.jpg|"We can tell who the bad guys are." getout.jpg|"Get out!" ritsureacts.jpg|Ritsu Kasanoda reacts to the truth. Notable Quotes *'"I could eat three bowls of rice!"' -Renge *''(to Renge)'' "Very impressive Renge, that's a really good example of the guests having a wild fantasies over the hosts."' -Kyouya' Character Apperances *Haruhi Fujioka *Tamaki Suou *Kyouya Ootori *Hikaru Hitachiin *Kaoru Hitachiin *Mitsukuni "Honey" Haninozuka *Takashi "Mori" Morinozuka *Renge Houshakuji *Ritsu Kasanoda Category:Anime Episodes